Cambridge Brewing Company (2019)

Sour Fest, Stout Fest, Gruit Day, Barleywine Fest, Pumpkin Fest, 30 beers on tap for their anniversary party. CBC has a day for everyone.

 

But there's no IPA fest!

A truly underappreciated style.

 

The beer list for Sour Fest has been released:

#CBCSourFest returns for its 6th year on Saturday, March 30th!

Join us for an all day, un-ticketed fest celebrating CBC's Sour Beers! We'll have funky, tart, & puckering Sour + Wild Ales on tap accompanied by a special menu from #ChefDave.

On Tap for #CBCSourFest:

• AGAVE NAGILA (9.5%) — Wild strong blonde ale aged in tequila barrels with Brett, with fresh lime zest and Kosher salt added. Rejoice and be happy!

• BRETT CONSPIRACY 2017 (6%) — Mixed culture barrel fermentation, dryhopped with Galaxy & Centennial. Floral and fruity beer with notes of pineapple and guava. Super dry finish.

• BRIGHT SIZE LIFE (5%) — Jester King collaboration wild ale barrel-aged 1 year, refermented with preserved citrus peel and wild blueberries. Aperitif-like fruit and funk, amazingly dry finish.

• CERISE CASSÈE 2019 (9%) — The newest expression of the original Solera-aged American sour. A blend of beers fermented and aged in oak between one and 15 years old.

• COR CORDIUM (5%) — Wild saison with local barley, wheat, & rye, co-fermented with Jester King’s & CBC’s mixed wild yeast culture. Refermented with Cornelian cherries & heirloom cranberries.

• DANCE BAND ON THE TITANIC (8.25%) — Wild blonde ale barrel-fermented 18 months with mango and peach juice added. Fruity, funky, sweet, and tart.

• EVERYTHING IS A REMIX 2016 (7%) — Mixed culture, oak fermentation. Spicy, tart, and dry palate complemented by dryhopping. Floral & tropical, spice & funk, hoppy & tart.

• THE GRATEFUL BREAD (4.5%) — Kettle-soured Berliner weisse collaboration with Eataly Boston & Lovin’ Spoonfuls. Brewed with barley & wheat malts and leftover bread, dryhopped with Mandarina Bavaria.

• HENDRIX 2018 (6%) — Kettle-soured wheat beer brewed with fresh cucumber, aged in gin barrels. Bright & fresh fruity cuke flavor, subtle notes of citrus, juniper, botanicals.

• HONEY BADGER 2017 (6%) — Fermented in oak with barrel additions of Mike Graney’s honey. Loads of honey, fruit blossom, citrus, sharp acids and funk. Honey Badger don’t care!

• JACK STRAW 2017 (4.5%) — 100% Brettanomyces sour ale, offering tropical fruit notes of pineapple, passion fruit, & guava. Refreshing & bracingly tart.

• OM 2017 (7.8%) – Strong blonde ale aged in oak with Brettanomyces, vibrated in Bbls at 136Hz. Dry with notes of mandarins & peach & honeyed malt providing inner bliss and world harmony.

• SILLY HATS ONLY (5%) — Berliner-weisse style, anaerobic kettle sour. Super clean, nicely tart and refreshing with full wheaty flavor. The champagne of the North!

• THREE VIEWS OF A SECRET (6.6%) — Barrel-fermented sour ale with black currants from Lanzer's Fruit Farm in East Hardwick, Vermont. Refreshingly dry, punchy fruit, touch of oak and warm stone.

• VIVE BRUXELLES! (6.8%) — Flanders-style red ale collab with De la Senne. Complex vinous & dark berry, sour cherry & fruit leather. Firm tannins, polished oak character, refined acidity.

• WAKE UP THE SUN 2018 (5.5%) — Barrel-fermented mixed culture saison. Fruity & complex palate of lemon, papaya, mango & spice, coconut and oak.

• WHAT'S THE USE? (6.3%) — Unhopped ale brewed with sweet gale, yarrow, wild rosemary, Labrador tea, licorice root, nettles. Pleasantly herbal tea-like, tart, spicy, malty with lovely oak notes.

• WILD WILD LIFE (7.8%) — Wild ale with raspberries, hibiscus, citrus peel & spices aged in wine barrels. Notes of raspberry jam, restrained funk, hints of spice & fruit, soft acidity.

 

How was Sourfest?

 

Crazy busy when we were there early afternoon. It was a 20+ minute wait to get pours at the bar if you didn't have a table in the restaurant - they were not serving the deck, so everyone outside had to go inside to get beers which added to the wait. A lot of people walked into the restaurant, took a look at the line, and walked out.

My wife and I split three full pours and decided not to get back in line. I would have liked to try a few more but it wasn't worth the wait. The beers we had were solid (Cor Cordium, Cerise Casse, Wild Wild Life).

 

Yup, I was one of those people.

I waited for a couple minutes outside because I thought it was just a line to get in because they were at capacity. Then I walked inside and saw it went all the way to the bar. I think you could have been a dick if you wanted and just go inside, but maybe they wouldn't serve you if you weren't in the line?

We came from Lamplighter which had no line, and then enjoyed a beer outside at State Park. Finally headed to Lord Hobo (also super packed) and then just went home to sit outside on my porch.

Maybe next year it will be ticketed like the Pumpkin Fest?

 

Wow, interesting. I've never seen or heard of CBC having a less than good event logistically. Usually, having that wall of beers really helps with service. I have noticed though that, year after year, sourfest gets more and more crowded.

 

We left CBC for Lamplighter and got there around 4 PM. There was a line forming shortly after we arrived, and by the time we left it was at least 30-40 people deep.

 

I'm sure the nice weather had something to do with the crowds as people wanted to hang out on the patio area.

I've always just made a reservation for their events (barleywine fest, anniversary, etc.). Even though the events are busy it's usually easy to make a reservation.

 

It was odd, two years ago I went and I think I waited in a crowd of people around the bar for about a half hour and eventually just left. So perhaps this was logistically better having one line to the bar.

But last year I went and we had no issue getting beers, wasn't too crowded at all.

Lamplighter usually has a line, so we figured we'd head there first and then sour fest. We sure fucked that up.

I might do this next year!

 

I've always done this too for the barley wine fest. Never had a problem getting a table the week of the event.